Press Releases

As of January 2024, the ACP has provided benefits to 43,000 PA-05 households, reducing broadband costs in the district by roughly $21,170,000 annually

Chester, PA – Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05) today released the following statement on the expiration of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), a Biden-Harris Administration program that has helped millions of low-income households lower internet bills by $30 to $75 dollars a month. Rep. Scanlon highlighted the success of this program in PA-05 and the rising costs that its expiration will impose on seniors, students, and small businesses because House Republicans have refused to work with Democrats to fund this program. May is the final month that enrolled households will receive ACP benefits on their internet bills.

“By refusing to extend the Affordable Connectivity Program, House Republicans are raising internet costs for thousands of PA-05 families and hindering Pennsylvanians from participating in the 21st-century economy,” said Rep. Scanlon. “For months, I have stressed the importance of continuing the popular, bipartisan, and effective Affordable Connectivity Program. From telehealth visits to the digital marketplace, the Affordable Connectivity Program is an example of how President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is closing the digital divide, connecting Americans, and lowering costs. I continue to urge my Republican colleagues in Congress to work with Democrats to pass President Biden’s domestic supplemental request, which includes funding for this vital and effective program.”

In April, Rep. Scanlon convened a roundtable of local leaders to discuss the positive impact of the ACP on PA-05 households and the importance of extending the program. Read more and find a list of participants here. 

In the 117th Congress, Democrats and Republicans came together to establish the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) by enacting the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 created the Emergency Broadband Benefit, which provided discounted or free high-speed internet for low-income households. The BIL expanded and renamed that program as the ACP, which provides a subsidy of $30/month for low-income households. As of April 2024, more than 23 million households had enrolled in the ACP, saving more than $14.6 billion on monthly internet or mobile phone bills. Read more about the impact this program has on PA-05 households here.

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